Tennessee Couple Files Six-Figure Lawsuit Over Falling Antlers Incident
Dennis and Patricia Swartz, a couple from Tennessee, have initiated a substantial lawsuit against LongHorn Steakhouse and its parent company, Darden Restaurants, following a distressing incident at a restaurant in Madison, a suburb of Nashville. The lawsuit, which seeks a total of $300,000 in damages, alleges that the couple sustained "serious bodily injuries" when a decorative object made of wood and antlers detached from the wall and fell onto them while they were dining on February 8, 2025.
Details of the Incident and Legal Claims
According to the complaint filed in state court and later moved to Nashville federal court, the Swartzes argue that the management at the LongHorn Steakhouse location "knew or should have known" that the antlers were "improperly and inadequately secured to the wall." The document contends that this negligence created an "unreasonably dangerous condition" on the premises, posing a foreseeable risk of harm to patrons.
The lawsuit specifies that both Dennis, aged 54, and Patricia, aged 59, suffered severe personal injuries, though precise medical details are not outlined. Beyond physical harm, the couple claims to have endured lasting "mental anguish" and a significant "loss of enjoyment of life" as a result of the incident. Their complaint highlights additional damages, including pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and consortium with one another.
Historical Context of Taxidermy-Related Injuries
This case is not an isolated event, as taxidermy, particularly antlers, has been linked to serious injuries in the past. In 2019, a New York man named Matthew Dzierzanowski nearly lost his eyesight when a stuffed deer head fell in his garage, with an antler piercing his eye. Surgeons managed to save his vision, but described it as one of the most extreme trauma cases they had encountered.
That same year, a nine-month-old girl suffered a traumatic brain injury after a deer mount fell from a wall in her family's home, with antlers puncturing her skull. Her recovery prognosis remains unclear. More recently, in August of last year, a Massachusetts woman sued a cocktail lounge in South Boston after a deer head mounted on a wall fell on her, allegedly causing a brain bleed and prolonged post-concussive symptoms.
Legal Proceedings and Company Response
Dennis Swartz is demanding $125,000 for compensatory damages and an additional $25,000 for loss of consortium, with Patricia Swartz seeking the same amounts, totaling $300,000. The couple asserts that this sum is a "fair, just and equitable amount" to address their injuries and losses. An initial case management conference is scheduled for May 29, presided over by District Judge Aleta A. Trauger.
As of Monday, a spokesperson for Darden Restaurants and the attorney representing the company in this matter did not respond to requests for comment. The lawsuit underscores broader concerns about safety standards in dining establishments, particularly regarding decorative items that may pose hidden risks to customers.
